What is stopping you from achieving your goal?

Is it that nagging voice of self-doubt inside our heads or is it the real voices of those around us? Or perhaps it’s a combination of the two.

I’ve heard them all – and now I’m ignoring them, and it feels great!

Let me tell you how.

Don’t worry, I’m not going too far back, we’ll be here all day, but just for a bit of context I’ll tell you this. I was raised as an only girl with 6 loud, competitive brothers so the expectations for me were very low! I was never expected to be a ‘winner’, there were enough of those in the family!

So, we’re in 2017 and I am enjoying cycling round London on my rather heavy old bike, and I see more and more men (and some women) in lycra, cycling,

I think - that actually looks fun. For lots of reasons (that nagging self-doubt being the main one), I decided it’s not for me.

So I started spin classes as my way of getting that feeling. Wowser what a buzz! Once, twice, three times a week getting ‘faster’ and stronger all the time.

Then I attended the premier of a film about female skateboarders. A true story about a group of women who skateboarded from the UK to Turkey. These women are truly wild, and incredible! Whatever this article says – I urge you to watch this film - Woolf Women, now or never.

Every time I went to a spin class, in my head I pictured myself on those mountains on my road bike, hurling across the alps.

‘It’ll never happen’: the voice said. ‘You’re too old, you’re not fit enough, you’ve had too many injuries.’

Then a real voice: ‘Don’t injure yourself again, Sarah’.

So I stuck to the fixed bike in the gym 3 times a week.

Then on June 3rd 2024, I met John Readman, organiser of Ride 25

John casually mentioned that he was organising a charity cycle ride for a load of business founders across the alps from Geneva to Milan in September 2024. 355 miles over mountains over 4 days.

I paid my non-refundable deposit the following day.

On June 23rd I bought my first road bike. It’s nothing flashy, it’s the Decathlon brand, VAN RYSEL . It was a perfect fit and we seem to make a good team! I could have spent a lot more money for something 'better' but who knows if I’ll actually do this? I’ll probably chicken out so I don't want to spend too much.

?Nag nag nag went the voices. I bought the padded pants, the cleats – now that’s a learning curve which hurts – and got started.

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I joined my local cycling club and started cycling longer rides. On August 25th I did my first cycle over 100km (130km in fact!).

I went to Barcelona on holiday with the family and booked in two cycles with a guide.

On August 26th I heard the voices again. Claudio Montefusco, the cycle guide I’d been with in Barcelona, had said ‘Is this really for you, now? Do you want to have to get in the recovery van every day?’

I decided I wasn’t ready.

?I felt so depressed – and really cross with myself for listening.

?The words of Alfred Lord Tennyson came to mind – with a bit of a modern twist:

Is it better to cycle part way and end up in the van, than never to have cycled at all?

I paid the full amount, committed myself, got on my bike and cycled up the nearest hill to my house!

I’m going to do it! I’m actually going to fulfil my dream!

It feels amazing, really incredible.

Even if I do end up in the recovery van for part of the ride, it's still better than sitting on my ?? in front of my computer in north London!

I’ve connected with many of the other riders and they’re an awesome bunch – funny, really supportive and committed to the cause. I cannot wait to meet them in Geneva on September 18th!

Have you got a dream that you’d like to fulfil?

Do it, do it, do it. You absolutely can. What is holding you back? Ignore those voices and do it!

What is Ride25?

It’s a group cycle, in stages, from London to Sydney over 25 years to raise money for the charity 1More Child ?

Please take a look at the page here and if you’ve been even a tiny bit inspired by my story, please give a donation to help these children feel as good as I feel right now.

Thank you

Sarah ??